In Sheep's Clothing NYC

Really interesting spot with fantastic vibes. The cocktails weren't the most interesting I've ever seen but it's difficult to compete in the NYC craft cocktail game. Very small and almost speakeasy-esque in how easy it is to miss (no actual sign outside as it's technically inside Port Said). Kind of wish they'd been playing some nice jazz rather than some weird spacey techno stuff but I guess that's just luck of the draw at a listening bar.

In Sheep's Clothing was pretty busy when I visited so the service was very 'go. go, go' however the cocktails were nice. I tried one cocktail off their menu and would have ordered another that had called to my evening's flavor pattern but it wasn't available so I ordered a mojito instead. No muddle of mint in it but a garnish instead which threw me off a little but it was still good. Music was great as I expected. Would be open to visiting again on a less busy night.

This is a listening bar. The music was blasting loudly, why? If the owners are trying to replicate Japan, they missed it with the vibe..The sound-system which is very hi-fi is exactly that.. perfect with the right music. The bartender is the dj, does one go with the other? probably not, not the night we went, 9/19/23. the drink like in the photo was served just like that. that is the presentation. $18 with half of it missing. half the drinks on the menu were mezcal/tequila.. they had neither on 9/19/23... A listening bar (if from and only from Japan) are cozy intimate spots that are dimly lit and focus on the music and sound. This space felt bare, very uninviting and doesnt make you want to stay. There are no curtains shielding it from the outside passers by, the lights are bright, and the music too loud.. Please take tips from eavesdrop.

Great cocktails and a superior sound system in a small, unassuming space. Very unique experience, would be a 5 if the drink prices weren't so high. They were great, but just a little overpriced. Vinyl selection was solid, but a little unbalanced.

Cool spot. Met a friend for drinks at the bar. V good. Didn’t realize an event was happening that night— super niche album release. Nice crowd and folks gathered. Great sound system.

Wow!!! This vinyl bar is amazing. Wyatt makes amazing cocktails and mixes the best music. We went from Crosby Stills & Nash, to Prefab Sprout, Braydon and onwards. Great atmosphere. One of the best!

One of my favourite places that I visited in NYC. The sound system is really incredible and the barmen/DJs put together a great flow of music that transitioned so well from album to album. Was nice to chat to the guys about the different music they were putting on at times. The music is loud and deep but was not difficult to have a conversation over. Admittedly the cocktails were average at best - my partner had an F.CS which was decent and I had a Sheep’s Regalia which just seemed to lack some je ne sais quoi, though I still enjoyed it. Coming from Ireland, I was impressed with the Guinness - well poured and tasted like home so fair play for that. Ultimately I really enjoyed the visit and would recommend a visit if you’re a fan of interesting music and decent Guinness.

Best soundsystem I heard in NYC listening bars. Great music selection, good drinks, very nice atmosphere - these guys know what they are doing! Highly recommended. No reservations needed.

I am sorry I must of missed this trend in hang out alternatives, although it makes perfect sense. Spin some vinyl records on a real kick ass stereo system, around a bar with hella overpriced drinks and you have capitalized on what seems to be the hot ticket these days. Considering the 2 drinks each we had cost more that dinner latter that even, would be a huge insult and would warrant a pretty grim review. But even tho they have a curated "play list" of music that they abide by, which is kinda weird, (they don't take requests) and cause we were there early, the place was practically empty, I did get the bar tender/ "DJ?" To put on Miles Davis, Kind of Blue. Considering I never had the pleasure of hearing John Coltrane, Mikes Davis, Cannonball Adderley, and Bill Evans, live and in person, the sound coming from the house stereo system was so pure, so vivid and realistic, it felt like I could reach out and touch them playing live just outside of my reach. Even my grumpy son who was harping on the cost of drinks in sweaty tumblers even lightened up. I gifted him my Yamaha stereo system many years ago upon his graduation from college. Complete with a Marantz turntable, and Klipsch speakers n subwoofer. Perhaps this was why like so many 30 something's he really got into collecting vinyl. And for his last Bday I got him King of Blue remastered vinyl record, because everyone should have it in some shape or form; it's an American Classic! But alas in his tiny shared apartment, he could never crank up any music let alone this record to fully appreciate its genius. So as the barkeep/DJ cranked it up a notch when kind of blue came on, even my son was blown away by the amazing sound. So I consider that the next best thing to live is to hear it as if it was being performed live. Best concert ticket ever! Not sure I would make this a regular hangout spot, due to cost and quirky curated play list selections they choose. After Miles they put on Some real weird Japanese new wave punk something, getting back on their playlist routine. Kitaro meets Daft Punk! The 11 minute 33 second rapture completely broken, and over priced drinks about finished, We used that as our opportunity to boogie to the next venue. But definitely a good start to the night.

TLDR: Tiny bar with great music, fun vibes. Hi-fi listening bar that shares an entrance with Port Sa'id. No need to check in anywhere; it's walk-in only. Didn't know what to expect because I've never been to a listening bar before. Ended up loving the music and the vibe. I think most cocktails were made with Japanese liquor, some with mezcal. Like the cocktails, there was old school Japanese music. I got the Automatic Youth with whiskey, shiso and yuzu as well as the Hardly Criminal which had mezcal, cucumber, bell pepper, jalapeño, lime, and honey. Both cocktails were exactly how you'd expect them to be: the Automatic Youth was herbal, floral, and citrusy; the Hardly Criminal was vegetal and smokey. Both were also pretty easy to drink. I thought that the ABV might have been low, but I left feeling pretty tipsy lol In addition to the cocktails there was a small selection of wines, beers, and nonalcoholic cocktails. Because the size of the bar, it got cramped pretty quickly. I'd recommend coming earlier if you don't want to deal with that. Bartenders were friendly and worked pretty quickly. Overall: I'd love to come again, try a new drink, and just vibe to the music. Wish it wasn't so small.

This bar was beautiful but the bartender was very rude and after feeling discriminated against personally I checked reviews and saw I wasn't the only one. It's an insane concept to profit off of playing music made by people of color and then treat them poorly when they walk through your doors. People of color should really steer clear of this place if they want to have a fun night. I'd actually recommend Public Records in Brooklyn as an excellent alternative that won't have you fleeing after your first drink.

My friend was discriminated against at this establishment. An incredible person who just wanted to order a drink. People around him were served the drink he ordered and he was denied it along with being denied other options as well. Then he was mocked when he asked for a napkin and the bartender brought him a stack of them. You should be ashamed that this happened. This kind of thing is in the bones of a business and makes it rot from the inside.

If you actually want to enjoy the sound system you need to go during off hours. If you show up on Friday night it will be full of bankers shouting. It's also really small, which is another reason to go early or on a weeknight. I miss the old LA location!

Terrible service. The bartender is racist and only friendly with a few costumers. If you want to experience great music in NY just go the West Village to a live concert with real musicians. I was looking forward to this concept but never coming back to a rude place like this.

I came here for the first time last night to meet up with some friends. The bartender was rude and it felt discriminatory. Despite others being served the drink I ordered, he refused to serve it to me. When I asked for a mocktail, he limited my options to only one from the menu. Then, when I requested napkins, he placed an excessive stack on the table and questioned if I needed more. This experience was disheartening, especially on what was meant to be an enjoyable evening. I won't be returning to this establishment.